Financial and Other News

4 ways you’re losing money at work
“Smart moves at work could leave you with more money in your pocket. Every dollar of that paycheck counts when you’re juggling expenses and competing financial goals. Americans are getting better about saving, but a quarter still don’t have any emergency savings, a recent Bankrate.com survey found.”

Why Perfect Credit is a Realistic Summer Goal
“Millennials are routinely bombarded with the message to save for retirement. Fifty-nine percent are heeding the call and saving regularly. … While many millennials are saving, they’re doing so cautiously. … Mutual funds offer a compromise for millennials, who are wary of individual stocks but want higher investment returns.”

Here’s how much it costs to be a wedding guest
“As delighted as you are to hear wedding bells, you know big costs are coming. You skimp and save. You budget — splurge — and maybe alter expectations. And that’s just to be a wedding guest.”

The best ways to handle your money when traveling
“So you’ve picked your destination, booked your flights and packed your bags. Planning a trip is always equal parts exciting and stressful as you figure out the logistics. One thing many people fail to look into is how they’ll handle their money when they’re away.”

How to Not Feel Deprived on a Strict Budget
“Being broke sucks, and it’s even worse when the world thinks you’re broke because you spend too much on luxuries. When you’re struggling to get by and you’ve cut your budget to its bare minimum, avocado toast is the last thing on your mind. You are, however, often tempted to just give up and spend frivolously. Here’s a tip on how to keep your spirits up.”

9 Tips On Chasing Your Dreams Without Going Broke
“We all know the fantasy. You decide you’re finally going to do it! You’re going to stand up in your cube, and announce Jerry Maguire-style that you’re quitting to pursue your dream! However, you can do this and still be smart about it. Yes, you may have to take big risks in life if you are chasing a dream. But you can take calculated risks, and still be a responsible adult while chasing your dreams.”

Charlie Munger

Amazon and the Whole Food(s) Industry

This story has been in the news every day since it was announced, and why not, it could be a real game-changer. Is Amazon’s pending purchase of Whole Foods going to dramatically change the grocery industry? I guess it depends on who you ask.

In the stock market, there’s typically a buyer for every seller. You may think that by buying Apple at $145 you are getting a great deal but think about it. If you are buying, someone else must be selling. They must think that selling Apple at $145 is an acceptable price. For every person who thinks that something is a good idea, someone else thinks it might not be.

Many people believe that the Amazon / Whole Foods merger will be a game-changer for the supermarket industry. The stock market seems to agree. The stock prices of all the major grocery chains have dropped considerably since the deal was announced. Is the industry in trouble? Some suggest that a company with deep enough pockets should step in and outbid Amazon for Whole Foods… for the good of the industry as a whole.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of the Amazon / Whole Foods deal
Those who believe this is a game changer think along these lines… Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, should it close, is the white flag (the kind signaling one lap to go, vs. surrender) in Amazon’s march to a trillion. This transaction will be to retail what Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram was to media — the deal everyone wishes they had done. Amazon will reach $1T in value in the next 36 months, at the expense of … everyone.

Walmart won’t battle Amazon for Whole Foods for a very simple reason

And then there are others who think that Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods is no big deal. Do you know who the largest supermarket chian is? The largest supermarket chain really isn’t a supermarket chain… it’s Walmart. According to Reuters, Walmart has indicated that it has no intention of bidding for Whole Foods.